Kings Lynn Town Wall

In the civil parish of Kings Lynn.
In the historic county of Norfolk (Modern Authority of Norfolk, 1974 county of Norfolk).

South gate and scant traces survive of town wall. Murage granted 1266, 1294, 1300 and 1339, These resulted in masonry walls, though these may have replace timber structures. Part of defences remained bank and ditch. Some artillery defences added 1570 at St Anne's gate.

This site has been described as a;
Urban Defence.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 384082, 384135, 384189, 384203)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TF62191915

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 879529, 912480, 879533, 356533, 879530, 879539, 879531, 879534, 879540, 879536, 879537, 879532, 879527

• Web site links
  • http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/culture/towns/lynn6.html
• Books
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p18, 24, 29, 30, 37, 88, 97, 111, 129, 134-5, 156, 180, 195, 222, 227, 231, 263
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p58
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p160
    Kent, Peter, 1988, Fortifications of East Anglia (Lavenham: Ternence Dalton)
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p311
    Wilton, J.W., 1979, Earthworks and Fortifications of Norfolk (Weathercock Press) p30-1
    Carter, A., 1977, ‘The defences' in Clarke, H. and Carter, A., Excavations in King’s Lynn 1963-1970 (Society for Medieval Archaeology, Monograph Series 7) p432-8
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71 plan p63
    Parker, Vanessa, 197?, 'The making of Kings Lynn: secular buildings from the 11th to the 17th century (Kings Lynn Archaeol Survey Vol1)
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London)
    O’Neil, B.H.St.J., 1960, Castles and Cannon: A Study of Early Artillery Fortifications in England (Oxford: Claredon Press) p46 plate 12
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co) p230-1
• Journal Articles
  • Hoare, P.G., Vinx, R., Stevenson, C.R. and Eslers, J., 2002, 'Reused bedrock ballast in King's Lynn's 'Town Wall' and the Norfolk port's medieval trading links' Medieval Archaeology Vol46 p91-105
    James, E.M., 1987, ‘A fresh study of the South Gate at King’s Lynn in the light of recent restoration work' Norfolk Archaeology Vol40.1 p55–72
    Kent, P., 1985, ‘King’s Lynn' Fort Vol13 p49–60
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p213
    Smith, T.P., 1976, 'The date of Kings Lynn south gate' Norfolk Archaeology Vol36 p224-32
    Smith, T.P., 1970, 'The medieval town defences of Kings Lynn' Journal of the British Archaeological Association [ser3] Vol33 p57-88
    Tingey, 1914, Norfolk Archaeology Vol18 p129-48